Curated OER
Check it Out...Nonfiction Can Be Fun!
Organizing information gathered for a research topic can be a challenge. Read aloud notes you have collected on a topic and use suggestions offer by the class to categorize and sort this information. Partners then follow this pattern,...
Curated OER
Poetry: The Most Compact Form of Literature
Introducing or need to review literary devices and terms for a study of poetry? Though text heavy, the explanations and examples of key poetic devices will provide learners with the vocabulary they need to discuss and craft poems.
Curated OER
Analyzing Persuasion
A reading of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech launches a study of rhetorical devices such as hyperbole, allusion, metaphor, simile, personification, connotative language and parallel structure. Class members then...
Curated OER
Night: Socratic Questioning Activity
We construct meaning through discussion, so help your readers of Elie Wiesel's work Night with a socratic questioning activity. The strategy is outlined on the first page, and the second page offers some example questions you give to...
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Pudd'nhead Wilson: Guided Imagery
Inspire thought around some of the themes of Pudd'nhead Wilson with a visualization activity. As you read a passage, learners close their eyes and picture the scene. A writing exercise and discussion follow.
Curated OER
Sing a Song of Indiana
After hearing John Mellencamp's song "Small Town," 4th graders are introduced to a brief biography/history of John Mellencamp. They will perform the entire song at the annual 4th grade program at the school.
Novelinks
The House on Mango Street: Discussion Web
As part of a final discussion of The House on Mango Street, groups examine a concept question about the text, record arguments for and opposed to the question, and then a draw their own conclusions.
Curated OER
Editorial Cartoons
Do your classes love reading and drawing cartoons? Middle schoolers read an editorial cartoon from a newspaper. They discuss the cartoonist's topic, audience, and purpose. Next, they brainstorm questions they have about the cartoon and...
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Can You Haiku?
Everyone loves haikus! They're short, quick, and fun to write! Analyze the rules and conventions of haiku. Readers interpret examples of haiku and develop a vocabulary for writing haiku. Then they compose a haiku based on a personal...
Curated OER
How to Write a Five Paragraph Essay
What are the necessary components of a five paragraph essay? How does one interest their reader? These questions are answered with this 12-slide PowerPoint which details components of the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion....
Brain Targeted Teaching
Tuck Everlasting Novel Study
The broad ideas included here provide clear ideas on how to use brain-targeted learning, what activities work best with Tuck Everlasting, how to apply the knowledge gained from their reading, and ideas for evaluation. Not teaching...
Beyond Benign
Plastic Bags
Paper or plastic? Explore the environmental effects of using plastic bags through mathematics. Learners manipulate worldwide data on plastic bag consumption to draw conclusions.
Curated OER
What Makes Good Literary Writing?
Young scholars conduct a literature study of John Steinbeck's classic "Of Mice And Men". They write in reflection of the author's influence upon 20th century literature. Students take apart the story to focus class discussion upon major...
Curated OER
#1 Fluent Reading: What Does it Sound Like?
Students work on recognizing fluent reading and distinguishing between word recognition and fluency.
Curated OER
Double Consciousness
Students explain the concept of double consciousness and evaluate how the concept of double consciousness is reflected in ethnic literature. They read "The Invisible Man" a poem by Langston Hughes and discuss expectations. They analyze...
Curated OER
The Puzzle of Philanthropy
Students research community organizations in their area. They identify three acts of philanthropy and three resources in the community that could help the common good. They reflect on their research in journal writings.
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"My Side of the Mountain"
Students demonstrate comprehension skills be retelling 6-8 significant events. They identify new vocabulary words and determine the meaning by using context clues.
They contribute to group discussion by sharing at least 1 idea/reflection...
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Integrated Social Studies and Storytelling Lesson
Fourth graders study the Civil War. They examine online photos that are connected to Indiana's role in the Civil War. They choose one of these photos and in a story circle, tell a story about it. They tell who is in the picture, what...
Curated OER
The Profound Simplicity Of Scrolls
Students create art scrolls in the Chinese style using individual examples of landscape pictures and poetry in this lesson for the middle-level Language Arts, Social Studies, or Art classroom.
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I Hear an "A"
Students explore the long "a" sound. Using the Michigan quarter reverse design, students say the words aloud to discover the long "a" sound. Students read given words and identify the long "a."
Curated OER
My Favourite Place
Ninth graders reflect back on a favorite place they knew as a child. Using Inspiration software, 9th graders write phrases that remind them of their favorite place. Students simulate being a reporter and interview other classmates...
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Defining American Culture Photographic Parallels
Students assess the diversity of the photographs taken by a Czech photographer, that illustrate how existed in 1920's Texas. Then students compare and contrast these photographs with more current photographs of Texans and evaluate in...
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Grammar: Adding a Prefix and Suffix
Fourth graders practice adding a prefix and/or suffix to base words. In this spelling review lesson, 4th graders review how to add a prefix and suffix to a word and complete a worksheet demonstrating their learning.
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Trust Circles
Middle schoolers compare communities to which they belong. In this social studies and language arts lesson, students discuss trust and use a Venn diagram to compare two communities to which they belong.